Comments on: Will Technology Destroy Our Democracy–or Save It? A Series of Papers at The Atlantic https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2017/05/will-technology-destroy-our-democracy-or-save-it-a-series-of-papers-at-the-atlantic.htm Thu, 04 May 2017 22:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Eric Goldman https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2017/05/will-technology-destroy-our-democracy-or-save-it-a-series-of-papers-at-the-atlantic.htm#comment-1837 Thu, 04 May 2017 22:00:00 +0000 http://blog.ericgoldman.org/?p=17189#comment-1837 In reply to Jason Farnon.

No, I was only explaining my personal feelings that prompted me to ask the question that spurred the project. However, we didn’t ask the authors to make any assumptions about technology or democracy, and we did not consider the political persuasions of prospective contributors as part of deciding who to ask (in fact, I have no idea about the political leanings of most of them). The question we posed to contributors: “Is technology hurting our democracy, and can it help save it?” Eric.

]]> By: Jason Farnon https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2017/05/will-technology-destroy-our-democracy-or-save-it-a-series-of-papers-at-the-atlantic.htm#comment-1836 Thu, 04 May 2017 21:41:00 +0000 http://blog.ericgoldman.org/?p=17189#comment-1836 “How did we as a country make such a terrible mistake?” Does that mean the proceedings are useless to someone unwilling to take it as axiomatic that electing Trump was a terrible mistake? Do all of the “really smart thinkers” participating also take this as axiomatic, so we have here another echo chamber complaining to each other about how fb leads to echo chambers?

If anything I would say that Trump’s election established what those EFF-type Internet visionaries back in the 90s claimed they were hoping for. The effect of a massive spending disparity between the candidates, and the effect of the media’s, academia’s, and sitting government’s staunch support of one candidate, were neutralized.

]]> By: SuperTJ https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2017/05/will-technology-destroy-our-democracy-or-save-it-a-series-of-papers-at-the-atlantic.htm#comment-1833 Thu, 04 May 2017 04:34:00 +0000 http://blog.ericgoldman.org/?p=17189#comment-1833 It is the “gaming” that has been so demoralizing to me for so many years in social media (Facebook) and to some degree Google. It has only grown more sophisticated in these years too. Filter bubbles are bad, but gaming of the poor social media systems destroys democracy. Being a DotComer in the 1990s, I have had some time to reflect on two decades of the Internet. Social media encourages “meaningless” sound bites that disappear in seconds — there is no worse source of this than Twitter. Facebook has its own worst traits, by primarily spreading bullshit, gags and meaningless memes and videos. Social media caters to a lower thought process and a short attention span — it caters to and encourages these human weaknesses! That is all social media has ever meant to me as a larger societal issue. We got the result of that too in 2016. That the juggernaut of “don’t THINK, just REACT” to garbage and rumor — social media — can also be gamed so easily is a grave failure in technology, for those who associate themselves to the utopian Internet like I “once” did.

In case you are not aware of this, at the University of Washington they are placing their “Calling Bullshit” course lectures online. Lectures 1 and 2 are currently out. This is for everyone, even the smartest tikes! Sadly, bullshit is everywhere and we must learn how to identify it and do exactly what the course states, “Calling Bullshit.”
http://callingbullshit.org/videos.html

]]> By: Sunny Williams https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2017/05/will-technology-destroy-our-democracy-or-save-it-a-series-of-papers-at-the-atlantic.htm#comment-1832 Wed, 03 May 2017 17:12:00 +0000 http://blog.ericgoldman.org/?p=17189#comment-1832 People will not read or accept information which they does not support views and opinions they consider in their best interest. Sometimes, it may be opinions which enhance their self esteem. Other times, it may be ideas which would be advantageous to their physical and material well being. Ultimately, physical and material consideration will dominate.(Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs) People want to justify what they believe best serves their physical and material interests. This does not mean that the need for self-esteem and concern for others cannot come to exceed the concern for physical and material well being, but the most common attitude is dominated by concern for physical and material well being, always a high priority, even when over come by concern for self esteem and concern for others. Since morality often involves placing concern for others and other principles which may threaten physical and material well being, it is often a hard sell.(Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend) That’s why it is always important to point out how the quality of life, especially regarding physical and material well being, will be enhanced by any particular policy or belief. Everyone always retains a high level of concern for his physical and material well being, though many will risk or sacrifice both to enhance their self-esteem or out of love of others, usually a parent for a child, but a few for their fellow-man, or love of justice, which, of course, is fundamentally, love of their fellow human beings. Still, exposure to greater knowledge and other ideas and opinions can promote better understanding of the issues and problems, though most will refuse to consider any they see as threatening to either their self-esteem, but especially, their physical and material well being.

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